Coaxial connector having switchable load means



Aug. 5, 1969 F, O'KEEFE ET AL 3,459,906

COAXl-AIJ CONNECTOR HAVLNG SWITCHABMS LOAD MEANS Original Filed Sept. 17. 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

MICHAEL .FEHNUS O'keel-E 'BYRoaem- 511mm STuLL Lov mmao GREENE Aug. 5, 1969 QKEEFE ET AL 3,459,906

COAXIAL CONNECTOR HAVING SWITCHABLE LOAD MEANS Original Filed Sept. 17, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. mum Fauna; O'kssFe Qosazr S AMLEw STULL Lov (310M120 Graeme M, MW #491 Aug. 5, 1969 QKEEFE ET AL 3,459,906

COAXIAL CONNECTOR HAVING SWITCHABLE LOAD MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Sept. 17, 1965 INVENTOR.

miw OWG/ N 0mm. Ns m mmTK FMEW L I mew mm M M Aug. 5, 1969 O'KEEFE ET AL 3,459,906

COAXIAL CONNECTOR HAVING SWITCHABLE LOAD MEANS Original Filed Sept. 17, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet; 4

INVENTOR.

BYQQBERT STANLEY STuu. Low Emmet: Graeme M, 9%; v/M

Mucuaeu Remus O'KEEFE' Unite 3,459,906 COAXEIAL CONNECTOR HAVING SWITCHABLE LOAD MEANS Michael Francis OKeefe and Robert Stanley Stull,

Mechanicsburg, and Loy Richard Greene, Shirernanstown, Pa, assignors to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Continuation of application Ser. No. 488,180, Sept. 17, 1965. This application Feb. 28, 1968, Ser. No. 711,465 Int. Cl. Htllr 33/30, 33/54 U.S. Cl. 2Gi)51.1 9 Claims ABSCT OF THE DICLOSURE A coaxial connector is provided with inner and outer contacts mounted on a dielectric mounting member in coaxial relationship. The inner and outer contacts are in normal electrical engagement and are interconnected via a resistor. A coaxial connector means is adapted to electrically engage the inner and outer contacts and to disconnect the resistor from the inner and outer contacts.

Cross reference to related application This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 488,180, filed Sept. 17, 1965, now abandoned.

This invention relates to coaxial connectors and more particularly to coaxial connectors to switch in and switch out a resistance or load in an existing circuit.

It is essential in an existing line, such as, for example, a community antenna television system or other type of distribution system, that the system remain in balance from the standpoint of impedance whenever one or more of the loads connected thereto are disconnected therefrom to assure interference-free and proper operation. It is also essential in high frequency connections that the switching in and out of various components, such as resistances or impedances, be positively effected and that good contact always be obtained.

It is an object of the invention to provide a coaxial connector wherein a load can be switched in or out of a distribution system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coaxial connector having a switch means actuable by a coaxial plug member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coaxial connector that is simple, economical and compact.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but are given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

The foregoing objects are realized by a structure according to the invention which comprises a dielectric member having inner and outer contact members thereon insulated from each other. A switch member is located on the dielectric member and has a contact section. The contact section may be in normal engagement with the inner or outer contact member or out of normal engagement with the inner or outer contact member. Means in engagement with or for engaging the contact section moves the contact section out of or into engagement with the inner or outer contact members when a coaxial plug mem- "ice ber is engaged with the inner and outer contact members.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a housing member in which the components of the coaxial connector are located;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with the housing member omitted and illustrating a center contact member of a plug member operating the switch means;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the coaxial connector;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG- URE 1 with a partial coaxial plug member exploded there from;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but illustrating the coaxial plug member in position in the coaxial connector;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the coaxial connector;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the coaxial connector; and

FIGURE 8 is an additional embodiment of the invention.

Turning now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 through 5, there is illustrated a metallic housing member H having a base member 1 and a top member 2. An opening 3 is disposed in top member 2. A dielectric member 4 is secured to either base member 1 or top member 2 as desired by means of securing means 5 such as nuts or bolts or the like. An extension 6 extends outwardly from one surface of dielectric member 4 and an opening 7 is located in extension 6 and extends through dielectric member 4. Holes 8 are located at each corner of dielectric member 4.

An outer contact member 9 includes a tubular section 10, oppositely disposed locking legs 11 and a contact element 12. Outer contact member 9 is positioned onto dielectric member 4 with tubular section 10 mating with extension 6 and locking legs 11 being bent around opposing sides of dielectric member 4 in order to hold outer contact member 9 in place thereon. One of locking legs :11 has an extension 13 which engages the surface of dielectric member 4 opposite the surface carrying extension 6 and extension 13 is provided with an opening matable with a hole 8 and one of securing means 5 engages extension 13 in order to provide a ground connection between housing member H and outer contact member 9 when the dielectric member and housing member are secured together.

An inner contact member 15 is secured on the surface of dielectric member 4 opposite the surface upon which extension 6 is located by means of a rivet 16 disposed in a hole 8 of the dielectric member and an aperture 17 in a base section 18 of inner contact member 15. Leg members 19 extend outwardly from base section 18 and in clude arcuate contact sections 20 which are coaxially disposed with respect to opening 7 as illustrated in FIGURE 1. Leg members 19 are resilient in order to maintain arcuate contact sections 20 in a position relative to opening 7 so that these contact sections are engageable with a center contact member 21 of a coaxial plug member 22 having an outer contact member 23.

As can be discerned from FIGURE 3, the portions of contact sections 20 adjacent opening 7 are beveled so as to facilitate the insertion of contact member 21 thereinto. A projection 24 extends outwardly from base section 18 and is disposable between spaced plugs 25 extending outwardly from dielectric member 4 so as to prevent inner contact member 15 from being moved out of position on the dielectric member after it has been riveted or secured in position thereon. An extension 26 extends outwardly from base section 18 and includes a right angle section 27 having a conductor-receiving member 28 thereon which is provided with an internal beveled surface to wedgingly receive a center conductor 29 of a coaxial cable 30.

An outer conductor 31 of coaxial cable 30, which is generally braid, is folded back away from center conductor 29 and a ferrule member 32 is crimped thereon as well as onto outer insulation 33 of the coaxial cable with inner insulation 34 acting as a back-up means upon ferrule member 32 being crimped into position. Ferrule member 32 precludes braid ends of the outer conductor from making contact with the center conductor or inner contact member 15 and facilitates the connection of the outer conductor to metallic housing member H. A securing member 35 has one end bolted to one of the members of housing member H and the other end is arcuate shaped and fits onto ferrule member 32 so that the coaxial cable is secured in position, a good connection is made between the housing member and the outer conductor of the coaxial cable. Securing member 35 also serves to retain center conductor 29 in position within conductor-receiving member 28 since there is a force fit therebetween.

A switch member 36 includes a mounting section 37 disposed over hole 8 in dielectric member 4 and a rivet 16 is disposed in this hole in order to secure switch member 36 to dielectric member 4 opposite inner contact member 15. A projection 38 extends outwardly from mounting section 37 and is disposed between lugs 39 extending outwardly from dielectric member 4 in order to maintain the switch member in a stable position on the dielectric member. A spring contact member 40 extends outwardly from mounting section 37 and is resiliently and normally in engagement with one of arcuate contact sections 20 as illustrated in FIGURE 1. A U-shaped section 41 is disposed in spring contact member 40 and one end of an insulative-actuating member 42 is afiixed therein while the other end of actuating member 42 is normally disposed within the contact area defined by arcuate contact sections 2i.) and is directed toward the axis of opening 7 so that center contact member 21 engages actuating member 42 when it is brought into engagement with contact sections 20 in order to move spring contact member 40 out of engagement with one of the contact sections in a direction substantially normal with respect to the longitudinal axis of opening 7. The edge of actuating member 42 adjacent opening 7 is inclined to facilitate the engagement of contact member 21 therewith. Thus, the right angle movement of contact member 40 relative to the contact sections of the inner contact member does not dictate the length of center contact member 21 of the coaxial plug member.

Instead of actuating member 42 having one end afiixed within U-shaped section 41, actuating member 42 may be held in a movable position on dielectric member 4 between contact sections 20; this would eliminate the need to have a U-shaped section 41 in contact member 40. A resistor 43 is connected between contact element 12 and switch member 36 in order to provide a load across the inner and outer contact members via switch member 36 when plug member 22 is out of engagement with the coaxial connector and metallic housing H so that the load in coaxial cable 30 remains in a balanced condition. Of course, it is to be understood that any kind of load can be connected between contact element 12 and switch member 36 as desired.

FIGURE 8 illustrates an embodiment of the invention whereby spring contact member 40' is normally out of engagement with outer contact member 23. In this embodiment, one of arcuate contact sections 20' has an L- shaped extension 44 extending outwardly therefrom with the free leg of extension 44 being disposed against a stop member 45 extending outwardly from dielectric member 4. Insulative-actuating member 42' has projections 46 projecting outwardly therefrom which engage contact sections 20' in order to prevent contact member 40' from coming into contact therewith. When coaxial plug mem- 4 ber 22 is inserted into position in the coaxial connector of FIGURE 8, actuating member 42 causes a U-shapcd section 41' to wipingly engage the free leg of extension 44 when contact member 21 engages contact sections 20' and actuating member 42 with outer contact member 23 engaging tubular section 10 of outer contact member 9.

FIGURE 6 illustrates an embodiment for interconnecting two coaxial plug members with one coaxial connector 47 receiving a coaxial plug member to a load and coaxial connector 48 receiving a coaxial plug member to a distribution system. From an inspection of FIGURE 6, it can be discerned that dielectric members 49 are interconnected in spaced relationship by means of nuts and bolts 50 and metallic spacers 51. Outer contact members 52 are interconnected together by means of a conductor 53 and inner contact members 54 are also interconnected together. A switch member 36a has its mounting section 37a secured between one of dielectric members 49 and a nut 50 while the free end of spring contact member 40a is normally in engagement with one of inner contact members 54. Insulative-actuating member 42a is held in position within U-shaped section 41a and the free end of actuating member 42a is disposed within inner contact member 54 and directed toward the longitudinal axis thereof in a manner similar to that of switch member 36. A resistor 43a has one end connected to one of metallic spacers 51 and the other end connected to one of outer contact members 52 so that the outer contact members and inner contact members are normally interconnected by means of switch member 36a and load 43a. Of course, switch member 36a can take the form illustrated in FIG- URE 8 so that the inner contact members and outer contact members are normally out of engagement with each other. The embodiment of FIGURE 6 allows the coaxial plug member to be connected to the distribution system and removably connected to coaxial connector 48 instead of the coaxial cable of the distribution system being secured to the metallic housing member as set forth hereinbefore.

FIGURE 7 is directed to a further embodiment of the invention wherein outer contact member 55 has an aperture 56 disposed therein. A dielectric ball 57 is movably mounted in aperture 56 and is in engagement with a section of spring contact member 58 which is disposed within a recess 59 in insulative member 60. One end of spring contact member 58 is normally in engagement with outer contact member 55 and locking lances 61 are located on spring contact member 58 in order to lock this contact member in position in a slot 62 in communication with recess 59 in insulative member 60. Coaxial openings 63 and 64 are respectively disposed in outer contact member 55 and insulative member 60 and these coaxial openings are in communication with inner contact member 65.

Outer contact member 55 is provided with an extension 66 having ferrule members 67 crimpable onto the outer conductor member and insulation of coaxial cable 68. A ferrule member 69 is located on inner contact member 65 and is crimpable onto the center conductor member of coaxial cable 68. Resistor 43b is interconnected between spring contact member 58 and inner contact member 65 so that the outer and inner contact members are in normal engagement via the spring contact member and resistor.

When coaxial plug member 22 is inserted into position on the coaxial connector of FIGURE 7, outer contact member 23 engages outer contact member 55 and ball 57 causing disengagement between spring contact member 58 and outer contact member 55 thereby disconnecting the load between the inner and outer contact members. While the embodiment of FIGURE 7 illustrates normal engagement of spring contact member 58 with outer contact member 55, it is obvious that spring contact member 58 could be out of normal engagement with outer contact member 55 so that when the coaxial plug member is brought into engagement with the coaxial connector, ball 57 would cause spring contact member 58 to engage outer contact member 55.

The foregoing concepts may be used in conjunction with various conventional coaxial connectors of the jack type such as the BNC, TNC, or the like. As can be discerned, there has been disclosed a unique coaxial connector having a switch means thereon which is movable in a direction substantially normal with respect to the longitudinal axis of the coaxial connector in order to switch in or switch out a load.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and other desirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiments of the invention, which are shown and described herein, are intended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the invention.

We claim:

1. A coaxial connector for engagement with outer and inner contact members of a coaxial connector member comprising a dielectric member having an Opening provided with an insertion axis, outer hollow contact means on said dielectric member adjacent said opening, inner hollow contact means on said dielectric member adjacent said opening, said outer contact means and said inner contact means being insulatingly and coaxially spaced with respect to said opening by said dielectric member, switch means on said dielectric member and having a contact section normally and resiliently engaging one of said inner and outer contact means, a load means having one end connected to one of said inner and outer contact means and another end connected to said switch means, and dielectric actuating means disposed within one of said inner and outer contact means and being in engagement with said contact section so as to be engaged by one of the inner and outer contact members of said coaxial connector member when electrically engaged with said coaxial connector thereby moving said contact section in a direction substantially normal with respect to said insertion axis and disconnecting said switch means from one of said inner and outer contact means.

2. A coaxial connector according to claim 1 wherein said contact section is in normal and resilient engagement with said inner means and said dielectric means is disposed within said inner contact means.

3. A coaxial connector according to claim 1 wherein said contact section is in normal and resilient engagement with said outer contact means and said dielectric means is disposed within said outer contact means.

4. In a coaxial connector having inner and outer conductors of a coaxial cable connected thereto, a metallic housing member, a dielectric member including an opening provided with an insertion axis and outer and inner hollow contact members insulatedly spaced from each other and coaxially positioned with respect to said opening by said dielectric member, means electrically connecting said outer contact member to said housing member, switch means on said dielectric member and having a contact section in normal and resilient engagement with one of said inner and outer contact members, load means having one end connected to one of said inner and outer contact members and another end connected to said switch means, means to connect said inner conductor of said coaxial cable to said inner contact member, means to connect said outer conductor to said outer contact member, and dielectric actuating means disposed within one of said inner and outer contact members, being in engagement with said contact section and being movable in a direction substantially normal to said insertion axis of said opening when engaged by inner and outer contact members of a coaxial connector member mateable with said coaxial connector to disconnect said switch means from one of said inner and outer contact members.

5. In a coaxial connector according to claim 4 wherein said contact section is in normal and resilient engagement with said inner contact member and said dielectric means is disposed within said inner contact member.

6. In a coaxial connector according to claim 4 wherein said contact section is in normal and resilient engagement with said outer contact member and said dielectric means is disposed within said outer contact member.

7. A coaxial connector for engagement with outer and inner contact members for a coaxial connector member comprising a dielectric member having an opening provided with an insertion axis, outer contact means on said dielectric member adjacent said opening, inner contact means on said dielectric member adjacent said opening, said outer contact means and said inner contact means being hollow and insulatingly and coaxially spaced with respect to said opening by said dielectric member, switch means on said dielectric member and having a contact section, one end of said contact section being directed toward one of said inner and outer contact means, load means having one end connected to one of said inner and outer contact means and another end connected to said switch means, and dielectric actuating means disposed within one of said inner and outer contact means and being in engagement with said one end of said contact section to maintain said contact section normally out of engagement with one of said inner and outer contact means, said dielectric means being engaged by one of the inner and outer contact members of the coaxial connector member when electrically engaged with said coaxial connector thereby moving said contact section in a direction substantially normal with respect to said insertion axis and electrically connecting said contact section with one of said inner and outer contact means.

8. A coaxial cable connector for connection to outer and inner conductors of a coaxial cable, said connector comprising a conductive mounting plate, a dielectric member having an opening provided with an insertion axis, inner contact means comprising resilient members mounted on said dielectric member, outer contact means mounted on said dielectric member, said contact means being insulated from each other by said dielectric member and coaxially spaced with respect to said opening for electrical engagement respectively with the inner and outer contact members of said coaxial cable, means mounting said dielectric member to said mounting plate with said outer contact means in electrical connection therewith, switch means on said dielectric member and including a contact section, said inner contact means and said contact section being in resilient electrical engagement, resistance means having one end connected to said outer contact means and another end connected to said switch means, said inner contact means and said contact section being mounted for relative movement along a line having a component perpendicular to the insertion axis, means operable by said inner conductor when inserted in said opening for relatively moving said inner contact means and contact section along said line to disengage said contact means and section, connection means provided by said inner contact means for connecting an inner conductor of another coaxial cable thereto, and other connection means for connecting an outer conductor of said another cable to said mounting plate and for securing said another coaxial cable in position thereon.

9. A coaxial cable connector for connection to said outer and inner conductors of a coaxial cable and to inner and outer contact members of a coaxial connector member, said coaxial connector comprising a conductive mounting plate, a dielectric member having an opening provided with an insertion axis and inner contact means and outer contact means thereon, said contact means being insulated from each other by said dielectric member and coaxially spaced with respect to said opening for electrical engagement respectively with the inner and outer contact members of said coaxial connector member, means mounting said dielectric member to said mounting plate with said outer contact means in electrical connection therewith, switch means on said dielectric member and including a contact section, said inner contact means and said contact section being in resilient I electrical engagement, resistance means having one end connected to said outer contact means and another end connected to said switch means, said inner contact means and said contact section being disengaged from each other in a direction substantially at right angles with respect to said insertion axis of said opening when said inner conductor member is inserted in said opening and in engagement therewith, connection means provided by said inner contact means for connecting said inner conductor of said coaxial cable thereto, and other connection means for connecting said outer conductor to said mounting plate and for securing said coaxial cable in position thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner D. SMITH, 111., Assistant Examiner 

